Singapore’s largest and most iconic scare event, Universal Studios Singapore’s Halloween Horror Nights at Resorts World Sentosa, will be back this September for its eighth edition. I’ve gone for Halloween Horror Nights consecutively for the past two years and every year, it gets bigger and better. Based on the theme Infinite Fear this year, it will be even larger in scale and scarier than last year’s.

Here are five things to expect for this year’s Halloween Horror Nights 8!

1. 5 HAUNTED HOUSES

This is Universal Studios Singapore’s first ever tie-up with Netflix’s Stranger Things, featuring the most number of thematic rooms to date in the Stranger Things haunted house. Being a fan of the series, I am excited. Stranger Things fans can look forward to and be transported into 12 artfully recreated scenes and storylines from the TV show, from the menacing Hawkins National Laboratory, to the erratically lit Byers Home, to the eerie Upside Down Woods.

The Stranger Things feature will be similar to the one in Universal Studios Orlando and Hollywood.

The rest of the four haunted houses in Universal Studios Singapore will feature more horrors based on South East Asian superstitions and myths. Killuminati is a world where a Chinese secret society of vampires has existed for centuries. Watch out for never-before-seen stunts and expect lots of twists in what is said to be the most interactive haunted house ever created in the history of Universal Studios Singapore’s Halloween Horror Nights. You’ve got to steel your nerves for this one as you and your companions could be separated and end up in different secret rooms.

During a press call which happened last Wednesday, I was one of two “lucky” members of the media invited to participate in the ceremonial Killuminati Sacrifice. I’m usually considered quite brave when it comes to scare tactics, but shuddered at the sound and light effects, and the sudden surprise at the end of it.

Thrill-seekers will need to tread carefully in a Malay village if they want to survive the Pontianak as she sniffs out her next victim. In the first-ever haunted house dedicated to this long-haired female vampire ghost, you’ll witness how she was created and get to visit the banana trees where she resides. Beware the dark corners in the laundry area.

Step back in time to the Edo-era of Japan in The Haunting of Oiwa, and come face-to-face with Lady Oiwa, who returns from the dead seeking revenge after being poisoned by her unfaithful husband.

Pagoda of Peril
Come face to face Yin Ling, a malevolent spirit who yearns for eternal life and power. Image credit: Resorts World Sentosa

Make your way through this Chinese-themed Pagoda of Peril, where malevolent demons and terrifying spirits are imprisoned. These demonic creatures will furiously rail against their imprisonment in their pursuit of freedom. Come face to face with a vicious spirit named Yin Ling, who yearns for eternal life and power.

2. 2 SCARE ZONES

There are only two Western-themed scare zones for Halloween Horror Nights 8.

Watch an ancient tribe of man-hunters in Cannibal slay their rivals and devour their flesh.

3. 3 KILLER LIVE SHOWS

Dead Talks

Take a break from all that screaming and join the charismatic Gideon Grim, the Motivational Death Coach, as he captivates guests with tips on highly effective scaring in Dead Talks. Dead Talks is an all-new, witty, seminar-style show with cutting-edge illusions, electrifying dancing and acrobatics at the Pantages Hollywood Theater.

Scaremony

Terror descends as night falls at Eight Lake Psychiatric Hospital. In this Scaremony show held at the Hollywood Lagoon Stage, guests will make their way through the unsettling, creepy halls of the hospital filled with screaming apparitions of unwilling patients.

Blood & Bones

Each month, at half moon, the Chief of the tribe sacrifices their capture at the ancestral altar. The human sacrifice is possessed by the spirit of the ancestors, which is believed to give the tribesmen extra strength when they devour him. This stomach-turning ritual is also part of the Cannibal scare zone.

4. ZOMBIE LASER TAG

Since its debut last year, Zombie Laser Tag is back by popular demand with an arena double the size of last year’s. Each team of eight participants will work together for one mission: to fend off and “kill” zombies in infested areas. Participants can expect more zombies, face greater obstacles and rev up for more shooting action, all in the company of a drill sergeant who will lead the way to ensure everyone gets out alive. Pay an extra $38 per person to participate in Zombie Laser Tag.

5. ORIGINAL SHORT HORROR FILMS

For the first time, Universal Studios Singapore has produced a series of original short horror films leading up to Halloween Horror Nights 8. These dramatic bite-sized films aim to showcase the riveting stories and iconic supernatural characters of this year’s haunted houses in unique cinematographic styles. Do watch out for them on Resorts World Sentosa’s social media platforms during July and August.

Halloween Horror Nights 8 will run on 18 selected nights from 27 September to 31 October 2018. Early bird tickets are on sale until 12 August 2018 at $55 (non-peak) and $65 (peak), while standard tickets are available at $58 (non-peak) and $68 (peak) each.

Guests can also purchase an R.I.P. Tour that includes event admission, a guide who will share insider stories and escort guests to the various experiences, VIP access to haunted houses, private meet-and-greet sessions with creepy characters and more. Admission also includes Universal Studios Singapore’s rides and attractions which are not part of Halloween Horror Nights.